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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

All writers have them. Sometimes it's like we're manic. Extreme euphoria and then end of the world depression. There are a few authors who find a good balance.

But for me, it's been an Indiana Jones mine cart ride. Especially this year.

I'm back after being a week away from my writer's life. Tons of emails and stuff on social media to catch up on. It's so overwhelming, I feel like I'm going to drown. It's hard to concentrate.

I'm gone a week, and my muse is refreshed, eager to get going.

The end of the Totem series is near. A nine book series. What was I thinking? It's exciting to see the end of the long tunnel, to share the whole story with the world. Even more exciting to know I'll be able to start on something new once I'm done.

I'm writing the last book of the series, and I don't know what's going to happen. I have no idea how the heroes will defeat the villain. None. I'm so stressed out about it. Sometimes being a pantser sucks.

Being a pantser is wonderful. I love the surprise twists and how my stories evolve all on their own.

I have so many ideas for stories. What do I go with? Should I concentrate on what I love or what's marketable? How do I know if both of them converge? Trying to figure out this whole publishing thing is painful. It makes me feel like a failure.

Yes, marketing is hard, but I'm doing what I love. How many people get to say that?

Up, down, up, down, around, loop, up, down, corkscrew, and repeat.

And you know, no matter how rotten the downs can be, the journey is worth it in itself.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

The lovely Decadent Kane has a spectacular theme this year: secrets. Click on over to find out the secret Kinley Dorn from my Totem series is keeping. You won't find it in any of the books. This is an exclusive post for Decadent's blog only.

The IWSG question of the month: Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?I haven't, but I should. The A to Z Challenge is spectacular. It's a challenge to yourself as a blogger, great for meeting new friends and getting to know old ones better, and it's tons of fun.April is a super busy month for me with my husband's and son's birthdays and family visiting for a week. So I have declined to participate the last few years.I've done the challenge as part of a group and on my own. Being part of a group really helps when you're limited for time. Plus, it's so much fun seeing what other members come up for the theme you've chosen.The first year I participated in the challenge, I wrote a little story called "Fearless." It was so popular, I self-published it. It's still available for free and has had over 100,000 downloads over the past four and a half years. Readers pick up this freebie and then they buy my other books. It has drawn so many readers to me.The A to Z Challenge and "Fearless" helped start me on the road to being an indie author.Good luck to everyone participating in the challenge this year!

City girl and serial non-dater, Affrica Clarke travels to Boulia, Australia, to investigate the environmental impacts of the local mining company. Unless she proves herself and wins that promotion, she’ll lose so much more than a pay rise. Yet everything goes wrong the moment she lands in the outback. With no research equipment, only skimpy clothes packed by her best friend to help her score a date, and a tight deadline to submit her report, she’s screwed. So when a sexy cowboy offers to play chauffeur, she’s all over it. But she’s there to shut down the mining activities, not fawn over the guy who’s supporting them, no matter how sizzling the attraction between them.

Billionaire jackaroo, Sam Preston tempts fate as an adrenaline junkie, living each day as if it were his last. Angry and wounded, he’s in town to sell his cattle ranch to the local mining company and be done with his past—until he meets hapless city-chick Affrica, who has no clue about surviving in the desert. Sam doesn’t know how to stop being a daredevil even though Affrica reminds him of the happiness he once had.

Can Sam let go of the past before he loses the one person who's finally breathed new life into him, or is it not possible to truly tame a jackaroo?

Sidney Valentine is an Aussie girl who loves everything about traveling. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and spends her time exploring the wild outdoors. But she always carries with her a writing pad in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. While she works in marketing during the day, she never stops writing her romance stories set in Australia as a way to rejuvenate from the bustle of the real world. She is often found at local coffee shops with her laptop, writing about people falling in love.

Saturday, April 1, 2017

I won't be doing it this year, but I'm cheering you on. I can't wait to read all the awesome posts!

Here's some inspiration for the month!

A cool little collection of drabbles.

A collection of
flash fiction inspired by unusual words. Each tiny tale is crafted
around a word that is unique or no longer in use. Read them while
waiting in line or before bed. They range from sweet and lighthearted to
dark and disturbing. Look out for the supernatural, but don’t turn your
back on the average human. A killer might be lurking underneath. Expand
your vocabulary, and get some inspiration of your own.

Patricia Josephine never set out
to become a writer, and in fact, she never considered it an option during high
school and college. She was more of an art and band geek. Some stories are
meant to be told, and now she can't stop writing. She writes Young Adult under
the name Patricia Lynne.

Patricia lives with her
husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting
zoo, and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.

Click, Read, Enjoy.

About Me

I'm a writer, blogger, and geek mom. I write paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I love a dark and gritty story. I have four degrees which don't help at all with motherhood, but make me a great Jeopardy player. Member of S.C.I.F.I. and Untethered Realms.